Water catcher for washing machine



1967 c. P. HUBERT WATER CATCHER FOR WASHING MACHINE Filed Oct. 31, 1963 FIG. I

INVENTOR. GLAUD/NE P. HUBE/PT United States Patent 3,304,950 WATER CATCHER FOR WASHING MACHINE Claudine P. Hubert, 805 Centennial Drive, Champaign, Ill. 61820 Filed Oct. 31, 1963, Ser. No. 320,486 6 Claims. (CL 137312) This invention relates to a novel water catcher for a domestic type clothes washing machine.

The primary object of the invention is to provide a water catcher which is adapted to be placed under a washing machine so that, in the event the washing machine becomes defective, the water therefrom will be prevented from leaking onto and damaging the floor, and will serve as a temporary expediency until the washer can be repaired.

A further object is to provide a water catcher having a drain valve or spigot for draining water from the device.

A further object is to provide a water catcher having a removable gate in the forward end thereof, whereby the washer may be easily slid into and out of the device.

A further object is to provide a water catcher which is light-weight yet strong and durable.

A further object is to provide a device of substantially simple and inexpensive construction and, as such, can be marketed at an inexpensive price.

The means by which the foregoing and other objects of the present invention are accomplished and the manner of their accomplishment will be readily understood from the following specification upon reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the device of the present invention illustrated as in use with a washing machine, which is shown in broken lines.

FIG. 2 is a top plan view of the device of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a horizontal fragmentary sectional view taken as on the line III-III of FIG. 1.

FIG. 4 is a vertical fragmentary sectional view taken as on the line IVIV of FIG. 1.

FIG. 5 is an enlarged fragmentary view of the left front corner of the device as seen in FIG. 1, and with the gate being shown in broken lines for purposes of clarity.

Referring now to the drawings in which the various parts are indicated by numerals, the water catcher of the present invention, designated at 11, comprises wall means defining a base structure 13, which base structure includes a bottom wall 15, side walls 17, and a back wall 19. The bottom, side and back walls are preferably molded of plastic material and define substantially a generally rectangular scoop-like structure, with the side and back walls upstanding from the bottom wall adjacent the side and back edges thereof.

An elongated and vertical gate 21 is slidably attached at the front of base structure 13 oppositely disposed from back wall 19. Gate 21 is of plastic material, as is base structure 13, and extends transversely between side walls 17.

Corresponding tongue and groove means respectively integrally formed of base structure 13 and gate 21 sealingly and slidably secure the gate 21 to base structure 13. The tongue and groove means preferably includes tongue means, which extend along the bottom and side edges of elongated gate 21, and corresponding groove means formed along the front inside portions of bottom wall 15 and side walls 17 of base structure 13. Thus, oppositely disposed end tongues 27 are disposed vertically along the opposite ends of gate 21, and corresponding grooves 29 in the side walls 17 provide oppositely disposed sliding joints to removably secure gate 21 to base structure 13. Tongue 31, extending along the bottom of gate 21, receivably engages groove 33 in bottom wall 15 of base structure 13. The tongue and groove portions of gate 21 and base structure 13, respectively, should be close-fitting so as to provide a water-tight seal between these parts, but not so close as to hinder the sliding removal of gate 21 from base structure 13.

Runner means of substantially heavy gauge sheet metal material is provided and preferably includes a pair of spaced parallel and elongated runner plates 35 disposed in flat engagement on the top surface of bottom wall 15 and along respective side walls 17. Cleat means 37 attach runner plates 35 to bottom wall 15, and thus each of plates 35 is preferably attached by a wall cleat 39 and a bottom cleat 41. Cleat means 37 are formed integrally with base structure 13, with wall cleat 39 and bottom cleat 41 projecting respectively from the bottom and side walls of base structure 13. Each of wall cleats 39 extend inwardly from a respective wall 17 and a short distance over the outer edge portion of a respective runner plate 35. Each of bottom cleats 41 is L-shaped and extends upwardly and engageably over the respective inner edge portion of a respective plate 35. Cleats 39, 41 preferably extend the whole length of the respective runner plates 35.

A hand-operable valve 43, preferably of plastic material, is provided and is preferably fitted in gate 21. Valve 43 is of the usual spigot type and includes a body 45, a barrel 47 turnably fitted in body 45, and a handle 49 attached to barrel 47. Turning handle 49 covers or uncovers port 51 in barrel 47 to respectively close or open passageway 53 in body 45.

To use water catcher 11, gate 21 is first slidingly removed from base structure 13. The washer, as washer 55 in FIG. 1, is then slid over runner plates 35 and onto base structure 13. The washer is then positioned in the device, and gate 21 is installed. After the washer has run for some time, the water which has been caught by water catcher 11 may be drained into a container by opening valve 43, so that continued use of the washer is permitted if repair is delayed.

From the foregoing, it is readily seen that the present invention provides an inexpensive and practical device that may be quickly placed under a faulty washing machine, thereby eliminating the messy and damaging effect of water leaking and standing on the floor. It will be understood that the present device may be made in different sizes to handle all machines.

Although the present invention has been described and illustrated with respect to a preferred embodiment thereof, it is to be understood that it is not to be so limited since changes and modifications may be made therein which are within the full intended scope of this invention as hereinafter claimed.

I claim:

1. A water catcher for a domestic type clothes washer comprising wall means including a rectangular horizontally disposed substantially flat bottom wall and three side walls attached to and extending a short distance upwardly from three respective sides of said bottom wall, an elongated gate, means removably and sealingly securing said gate across the remaining and fourth side of said bottom wall and between the parallel spaced side walls of said three side walls, said wall means and said gate being of substantially rigid plastic material and with said wall means being integrally formed, runner means of substantially heavy gauge sheet metal, and attachment means attaching said runner means on said bottom wall with said runner means being in flat engagement with said bottom wall; said water catcher being adapted to be placed on the floor with said gate removed, a washer to be slid along said sheet metal runner means, and then with said gate installed being adapted to catch water leaking from a washer.

2. The device of claim 1 in which said means removably and sealingly securing said gate comprises mating tongue and groove means respectively integrally formed of said gate and in said wall means.

3. The device of claim 1 in which said attachment means attaching said sheet metal runner means on said bottom wall comprises cleat means integrally formed with and projecting from said wall means and extending engagingly over said sheet metal runner means.

4. The device of claim 1 in which said sheet metal runner means includes two separate elongated sheet metal glide members, with each of said glide members being attached to said bottom wall along a respective side of said parallel spaced side walls.

5. The device of claim 1 which includes a hand operable valve installed in said gate for draining water from the device.

6. A water catcher for use with a domestic type clothes 2 vided across the remaining portion around said bottom wall to complete the surrounding of said bottom wall to establish means for catching and holding water which might leak from a clothes washer, means removably and sealingly securing said gate means to said wall means to provide a watertight seal, said gate means being removable for allowing a washer to be placed in said water catcher and removed therefrom, and runner means on said bottom wall for providing the means on which a washer is adapted to move in being placed and removed from said water catcher.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 85,096 12/1868 Hotchkiss 29652 1,588,000 6/1926 Barr 296-41 3,096,781 7/1963 Roidt 137--3l4 3,186,427 6/1965 Martin et a1. l37--312 XR WILLIAM F. ODEA, Primary Examiner.

R. GERARD, Assistant Examiner. 

1. A WATER CATCHER FOR A DOMESTIC TYPE CLOTHES WASHER COMPRISING WALL MEANS INCLUDING A RECTANGULAR HORIZONTALLY DISPOSED SUBSTANTIALLY FLAT BOTTOM WALL AND THREE SIDE WALLS ATTACHED TO AND EXTENDING A SHORT DISTANCE UPWARDLY FROM THREE RESPECTIVE SIDES OF SAID BOTTOM WALL, AN ELONGATED GATE, MEANS REMOVABLY AND SEALINGLY SECURING SAID GATE ACROSS THE REMAINING AND FOURTH SIDE OF SAID BOTTOM WALL AND BETWEEN THE PARALLEL SPACED SIDE WALLS OF SAID THREE SIDE WALLS, SAID WALL MEANS AND SAID GATE BEING OF SUBSTANTIALLY RIGID PLASTIC MATERIAL AND WITH SAID WALL MEANS BEING INTEGRALLY FORMED, RUNNER MEANS OF SUBSTANTIALLY HEAVY GAUGE SHEET METAL, AND ATTACHMENT MEANS ATTACHING SAID RUNNER MEANS ON SAID BOTTOM WALL WITH SAID RUNNER MEANS BEING IN FLAT ENGAGEMENT WITH SAID BOTTOM WALL; SAID WATER CATCHER BEING ADAPTED TO BE 